After a touch-and-go week filled with flooding in the Fraser Valley, the City of Abbotsford shared some good news in an update on Saturday, November 20.
“Hundreds of dump trucks of gravel have made their way to the various breaches and we believe that we are already greater than 50% done on the repairs to the larger breach between Marion and Number 4 Road,” said Mayor Braun.
A tweet from the city on Saturday said that crews were continuing to make progress on repairing the Sumas Dyke.
Emergency repairs on the Sumas Dyke @ Cole Road are also progressing thanks to the hardworking crews on site. Water rescue team is on standby due to the proximity of the work to the flood waters. Thanks to all the workers & rescue team supporting the repairs for their dedication. pic.twitter.com/TyXdhLpIws
— City of Abbotsford (@City_Abbotsford) November 20, 2021
Good news: the floodgates were able to partially open at 1:46 a.m. and release water from the Sumas River into the Fraser River. This helps lessen the flow of water breaching the dyke and pooling in the eastern part of the Sumas Prairie.
— City of Abbotsford (@City_Abbotsford) November 20, 2021
Abbotsford is hoping to complete the repairs as soon as possible ahead of expected inclement weather.
A storm is moving to BC’s North Coast and is expected to reach the Fraser Valley by Monday, November 22. The province has asked locals to watch Environment Canada for alerts and updates as they could put out a warning for the Fraser Valley in the coming days.
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The Canadian Armed Forces are in the Fraser Valley to assist. Approximately 119 soldiers were supporting flood mitigation efforts, including using helicopters to move people and supplies in the region.
In the update, Mayor Braun also shared that 800 people in total had checked into the evacuation center for assistance since evacuation orders and alerts went into effect.
You can learn more about the local state of emergency in Abbotsford including road closures, evacuation orders, and how you can help by going to their website.